Coughlin: Not appropriate for Mandel to run

By DAVID CATANESE

04/28/2011 10:50 AM EDT

Former Ohio state Sen. Kevin Coughlin said Thursday it wouldn't be appropriate for Josh Mandel to move forward with a Senate bid this year and began outlining critiques he would use in a potential GOP primary against the state treasurer.

"I don’t think it's appropriate for him to run for the Senate. He just got elected to a job and Ohio’s got serious problems," Coughlin told POLITICO. “I think the Mandel brand has more potential for damage than for good.”

Coughlin is formally exploring a bid against first-term Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who Republicans maintain is vulnerable despite their failure to recruit a top-tier challenger in a premier battleground state.

A 14-year state lawmaker, Coughlin is in the middle of assembling a consulting and finance team and expects to settle on a final decision about a campaign in May.

He signaled he was contemplating the race at the beginning of the year when "there was clearly a vacuum" without any major candidates stepping up to the plate.

“My gut tells me anybody who wanted to run for this office should’ve started about a year ago. So it’s late. I just think we’re late getting on the field in Ohio. That doesn’t mean it’s not a winnable campaign," he said, noting that Gov. John Kasich didn't launch his successful effort until late June 2009.

Coughlin pitches as a selling point his victories as a state representative and state senator in tough Republican years in a Democratic-learning district.

But in a match-up against Mandel, it's likely he would broaden his argument to encompass his experience over Mandel, a baby-faced 33-year-old Marine.

"He has a thin record. To serve four years in the Ohio Legislature, introduce three bills and stand up to speak only twice doesn't show me a record of somebody who knows how to get things done," Coughlin said. "Josh has had a pretty easy ride so far. Frankly, I don't think he stands a very good chance of winning."

Coughlin, who briefly ran for governor last cycle, also said he's been raising concerns about Mandel's conservative bona fides in meetings with interest groups in Washington and Ohio, suggesting his state House votes on tort reform, taxes and abortion could be wielded against him.

An email sent to Mandel's campaign website was not returned and a spokesman with the treasurer's office said he would attempt to track down a response.

Mandel has already filed his paperwork to run for Senate, but has not officially announced a bid. Timing appears to be the critical question — will he leap into another high-profile statewide contest less than half a year after he took office or will he decide to put his ambition on hold?

"I reminded young Josh what the word 'senior' means," Blackwell told The Cincinnati Enquirer last week.

Coughlin, on the other hand, was more complimentary of Blackwell's experience and depth of knowledge, but questioned whether he could assemble a formidable organization.

Billing himself as "someone who doesn't give political answers," Coughlin endorsed Rep. Paul Ryan's controversial budget plan that would convert Medicare into a voucher program

"I think Medicare for younger people should change from a defined benefit program to a defined contribution program. This concept that we can get something for nothing is a culture, I think that needs to be changed. If it can’t sustain itself, then nobody gets served," he said. “Unfortunately that issue can’t go beyond the House doors if the Senate remains in Democratic control."